BIO
Rose Chen (b. 1994, China) is a multidisciplinary artist based in Singapore, working primarily in oil painting and drawing, and with ongoing exploration in sculpture and conceptual installation. Best known for her metaphysical works that blend figurative, still life, and landscape, her medium-agnostic approach allows each work to find its own visual language. Her practice interrogates the poetics and absurdity of existence, through blurring the lines between harmony and dissonance, breathing tension surrounding the subjects, and merging figurative precision with conceptual depth.
Rose’s subject matter is shaped by a universal sensibility and an enduring intent to subvert across disciplines. Navigating identity, loneliness, existential absurdity, and the human condition, her practice places these themes within the broader socio-political issues, highlighting the futility in our daily struggle. Her paintings often reference historical motifs, re-contextualised to address contemporary narratives, serving as quiet provocations that invite viewers into reflection and introspection.
Rose holds degrees in mathematics and history and an MPhil in Modern British History from the University of Cambridge—disciplines that continue to inform her approach to composition, multifaceted narrative, and meaning-making. Beyond her fine art pursuits, Rose is a classically trained pianist and occasional poet.
CV
EDUCATION
2016-2017, MPhil in Modern British History, University of Cambridge, UK
2012-2016, BA in History & BS in Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, US
GROUP EXHIBITION
2025, Drawn to Life, SG Life-drawing & Guerrilla Life-drawing Joint Exhibition, Singapore
2024, Life Drawing Exhibition, Drawing Etc., Singapore
2021, Shanghai Sketch Exhibition, Taiye Culture, Shanghai
AWARDS
2012, Clovis Country Art Competition 1st & 2nd prize, California, United States
PRESS
Unwind Films, ‘How Do You Unwind’ Documentary Series Interview in online resources, 2024
PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTION
2025: Exhibition Assistant, Silent Voices Exhibition, Kwai Fung Hin Art Gallery, Singapore
2017: Illustrator (Historical Events), UN Online Volunteer, UK/Global
2017: Exhibition Assistant (Curation & Installation), Light After Dark, National Trust, London, UK